Stoat - Where?

Grow Up Australia

Finally, there seems to be some momentum behind the drive to create an R18+ classification for videogames, which would bring Australia inline with the rest of the developed world. Hopefully with the support of major stores like EBGames and a large grassroots campaign, this anachronism will be corrected soon.

Sign the petition and have your say. For my part, I submitted this:

The solution is simple. In a cinema, if an under-age person tries to watch a movie, they are prevented from doing so by the cinema staff. Presumably cinemas are punished if they don’t adhere to these rules. Likewise in licensed premises, and so it should be for videogame stores.

Classification labels are clear and obvious. If a parent makes a decision to purchase a game out of classification based on their knowledge of their own child, that is their own choice. If an adult is ill-informed enough to purchase an R18 game for a child for whom it isn’t suitable, the government can hardly be expected to prevent that. Personal responsibility has to start somewhere.

The Videogames industry is a mature industry with a diverse range of titles targeting a variety of age groups. It now generates more revenue than the film industry and deserves to be taken seriously.

Finally, for those who wish to get their hands on restricted games, it could hardly be easier. Their are a myriad of international sellers only too happy to import those games, making a mockery of the current regulations, and denying revenue to Australian merchants.

Hopefully, with enough voices, the government of the people can be persuaded to act.